Final text of Victims Law ready for Wednesday vote in Colombian Congress

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A Colombian conciliatory commission accepted the Senate’s approved version of the Victims Law as the final text to be passed through Congress on Wednesday.

Interior Minister German Vargas Lleras, coalition party members and various members of the Senate and the House of Representatives adjusted several issues before signing what is likely to be the final text of the Victims Law, according to Caracol Radio.

Following the signatures, the law will be officially published in Congress and will await tomorrow’s vote from a plenary session of Congress, which is expected to be approved and then passed on to President Juan Manuel Santos for final approval.

Vargas Lleras highlighted the consensus between the party representatives and said that the historic text was welcomed by those present.

Cristo said that he is optimistic for the last round of votes before the pending law is passed to the president for approval, and that he is convinced that no inconveniences regarding the initiative will present themselves.

The full text of the Victims Law, which aims to provide recognition and reparation to the many victims of violence during Colombia’s internal armed conflict, covering those occurring since 1985, was passed by a full session of the Senate in its fourth and final debate last Wednesday, marking a historic breakthrough for Colombia in the reconciliation process.

The law now awaits only the two final steps of passage through a full session of Congress and presidential approval, before being officially enshrined into law.

Final text of Victims Law ready for Wednesday vote in Colombian Congress was last modified: May 31st, 2011 by Marguerite Cawley